Think of sustainability and chances are, bettering the planet — the air, the land, the water — comes to mind.
But sustainability in business also includes fair wages and working conditions, equality and equity, and other benefits to society as a whole.
To determine where they can improve in these and other areas, two businesses have enlisted the help of 125 Niagara College students during the second annual NC Sustainability Hackathon, which runs today through Friday.
Students will break into smaller groups during the five-day, intensive event, learn the ins-and-outs of one of two participating businesses, and collaborate on sustainability solutions that create shared value and focus on the three P’s of sustainability: people, planet and profit.
“What the students allow for is different perspective and new perspective,” said Prof. Cammie Jaquays, who’s co-organizing the event with fellow business professor Melanie Sodka. “You have a business who sees it one way but students use a different lens…. You get a fresh look. The companies learn new things about the marketplace they didn’t know because students are coming it at from a 180° perspective.”
The NC Sustainability Hackathon coincides with Global Entrepreneurship Week, which runs Nov. 8-12, and the COP26 Climate Summit currently underway in Glasgow. It’s open to students studying entrepreneurship this term.
The event’s kick-off will feature guest speaker Asaf Zohar, founding chair of Trent University’s Masters in Sustainability Studies program and director of the university’s Entrepreneurship and Innovation Centre.
While sustainability is a pillar of most new businesses, Sodka explained, it’s become more pressing in a time of heightened awareness about the climate crisis and social justice issues.
The two businesses participating in the NC Sustainability Hackathon are: Community Crew, a local charity that makes school lunches for more than 1,500 Niagara children; and Drone Delivery Canada, a publicly traded drone logistics firm in Toronto.
At the end of the week, students’ proposals will be submitted to a judging panel that includes members of NC faculty and participating businesses. The top three groups will then make their sustainability pitches to their assigned business.
They will also win cash prizes, ranging from $50-100 per student. Financial support for the event is provided by RBC Future Launch.
“It becomes a win-win for all involved,” said Paula Reile, NC Research Project Manager and author of the business case studies students will use in the hackathon. “Organizations are supporting student learning and give them something for their portfolio, and in the end, they get reports from multiple students. There are always those creative nuggets they didn’t think about.”
In addition to the experiential learning opportunity that teaches time and project management and other critical soft skills for entrepreneurs, hackathon participants have the chance to make important professional connections.
One group in last year’s event was offered a work term placement to implement their ideas.
“This is an excellent opportunity to practise professionalism and demonstrate professionalism with organizations and company’s they’ll be working with when they graduate,” Jaquays said. “There’s a lot of learning that happens.”
